VIDEO: Frenchman’s crazy attempt to fly across English Channel ends in a splash

Flyboard inventor hoped to cross the 35km-stretch in 20 mins

A giant leap for mankind? Almost! French inventor Franky Zapata’s brave attempt to cross the English Channel on a flyboard ended in a splash in the ocean. Zapata missed the mid-sea landing platform where he was due to land to refuel, and ended up in the water. Thankfully, Zapata has not suffered any major injury.

Zapata took off from Sangatte in Northern France and was scheduled to land in St Margaret’s Bay on the other side. His flyboard had five engines, each capable of producing 250 HP of thrust. The fuel tank strapped to his back wasn’t capable of carrying enough fuel for the flight, and so, he had to land midway on a platform to refuel. Zapata couldn’t hit the mark, and ended in the ocean.